Winter storm already disrupting U.S. travel as airlines cancel flights

Airlines are starting to cancel U.S. flights ahead of the massive winter storm that's forecast to bring a mix of ice, snow and frigid conditions to a 2,000-mile expanse of the country this weekend.

Delta Air Lines said late Thursday that flight cancellations "are necessary at select airports in North Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee to ensure the safety of our customers and people." 

According to flight tracking service FlightAware, airlines scrapped 741 flights as of 8 a.m. Eastern time, with an additional 1,492 flights already canceled for Saturday. Many of the disruptions are centered at Texas airports, including 469 cancellations scheduled for Sunday at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, FlightAware data shows.

Major U.S. airlines are issuing travel waivers ahead of the storm, allowing customers to change their plans without penalty. 

Delta said it has issued a travel waiver for the eastern U.S., including Boston, New York and Philadelphia, in addition to its previous waiver covering parts of central and southeastern U.S. states. Waivers allow travelers to rebook their flights, subject to some restrictions. 

American Airlines on Wednesday said that passengers flying to, through or from 34 U.S. airports may change their flights for free if they bought tickets before Jan. 19 and are booked on flights between Jan. 23 and Jan. 25. Eligible customers can't change their origin or destination cities, and must make any changes by Jan. 25.